Has football become almost unwatchable?

[Yoda_]

Im not sure if this has been mentioned but some teams go into every tackle or contested ball looking for a free kick.

A shoulder shrug or a legless dive fwd with the softest touch, an exaggerated push in the back.

Frustrated me when we have played three teams this year. Like just be first to the ball FFS

 

[Andyy]

Yeah it's crap.

I watch significantly less neutral footy than I used to.

To improve the game I would:
Ditch stand rule.
Ditch 6-6-6.
Ditch sub, increase bench to 5, limit interchanges more.
Fine players for diving/exaggerating contact 1st offence, suspend them for 1 game on a 2nd offence every season.
Stop playing frees for minor/incidental high contact, as well as any action by the ball barrier to draw high contact such as dropping the needs or lifting the arm up etc.

 

[MJG14]

Thread hasn't aged well. Brilliant round of footy with five very good games in a row (Essendon v Sydney also not bad)

 

[Freomaniac]

Was at the Cats Giants game and found the whole game pretty entertaining. Good combination of structured play, contested play, good skills, good body work.

But the game was at least ranged from a medium-sized scoring game

 

[Cyclops]

I think there's good footy to be seen eg Brisbane.

Most of the problems come from "too many teams" . Not enough experienced umpires. Assistant coaches get senior coach roles because there's no one better. Dysfunctional clubs get propped up, suck talent out of a pretty heavily fished pool. The plan going forward? More clubs.

The fact that AFL Commission is a boys club of private schoolboys who were hand picked by Andrew "doesnt shine at the Royal Commission" Demetriou doesn't help. McLachlan got his job by out-sliming Demetriou (!), and Dillon was that paragon's second fiddle.

 

[Freomaniac]

Objectively - it was not much of a spectacle.

I don't know how old you are. I am gonna guess you are 50-60 years old and saw all those hawks flags from 1971-1991.

But looking at the hawks last 4 flags. You can say there was a highlight in each of them.

2008: Stewy dew and his 2 goals in the 3rd.

2013: Brad hills goal from a stoppage.

2014: Luke Hodge kissing buddy Franklin.

2015: jack Darling drops a Mark and it somehow ends up in to a hawks goal.

Again.... At worst.... Each grand final has a memorable moment.

 

[ReturningHawk]

Pete Ryan said it best: “When I think of the most boring games I’ve watched in the past 20 years, Ross seems to be a common denominator.”